The Imprisoned Mockingjay
by Burning Bunny Books
Summary: Peeta is safe in District 13 and Katniss has been captured by President Snow. Their roles from the original Mockingjay book have been swapped. Now Peeta must fight for the one he loves.
1. Chapter 1

**Based on the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I own nothing.**

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><p><em>Peeta's POV<em>

I was running. I was in the 75th annual Hunger Games and I was running. Sharp vines and plants scraped against my body, but that didn't matter. I just had to get to her before it was too late. _Katniss_. I had to find her. I had to protect her. I had to... I had to... Without warning, a thundering boom pierced my ears, joint with flashes of red and yellow. Before I could process what was happening or try to protect myself, a blazing white light surrounded me, clouding my vision. I could hear nothing but a prolonged, high droning sound. And then nothing.

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><p>"<em>Katniss!"<em> I gasped, bolting upright. Identical beds were all spread throughout the room -me in one of them- with numerous shelves of random medicines and tubes stacked behind them. Was I in a...hospital?

"Mornin' sunshine." My head snapped towards Haymitch, who sat grimly in the corner, sipping some sort of stew. I wanted to ask so many questions, but I didn't know where to start. He glanced at me for a moment, and then nodded to himself solemnly. "We managed to break the force field and flew in with district 13's aircraft. We're actually in district 13 now. You're lucky you were saved. It was a risky plan." Relief began flooding through me and I started feeling jittery to see all of the others that had escaped. I didn't even wonder then about how the rumour that people lived in district 13 was true.

"Where's Katniss?" I grinned, jumping up, and trying to get to the doors. "You should have woken me sooner. Then me and Katniss could have-" he grabbed my arm, his gaze falling to the floor. My body stiffened, as dread washed over me. "Haymitch," my throat began tightening, "Where is she?" He bit his lip, still looking downwards. "_WHERE IS SHE?!_" I had started shaking, and I thought I was about to break to pieces.

"I," he hesitated, "Well... She didn't get out in time." He didn't look up to meet my eyes. Katniss... She was dead. Gone. Poof. No. She couldn't be. There had to be a mistake. No. _No! _Before Haymitch could say any more, I sprinted out the door, knocking flasks and tubes of medicine off the shelves as I went. Most of them smashed on the floor, glittering like polished diamonds, with the result of various chemicals reacting and steaming together as I fled.

Many plain corridors connected to one another and I followed through them, taking random turns. I heard Haymitch shouting behind me, but I continued racing down the hall. I wanted to clear my head and not believe that she was gone. Confused, many people watched me. With all of my strength, I passed them hurriedly. My throat burned and my body began to ache; I couldn't go on any more. Exhausted, I lay against the wall, my back sliding down slowly as I did so. I didn't care that people were whispering and pointing at me. Hyperventilating, I let my body do whatever it wanted, tears streaking down my face, leaving lines of dampness. I didn't want to see the people around me. I didn't want to see anybody except Katniss. With my bloodshot eyes shut tight, and hidden between my legs, I used to my arms to cover the top of my head. I wouldn't look at anyone. I allowed my body to go through another wave of shuddering, as my mentality crumbled into pieces.

Defeated, I began to howl in despair. "_WHYYYYY?!_" I sobbed, "_OHHHHH GOD, WHY DID YOU LEAVE MEEEEE?!_" Somehow I had fallen sideways and lay on the floor. Something was digging into my thigh. Momentarily, my hysterical crying came to a stop, but I was still shaking. I pulled a petite glass tube from my trousers pocket and inspected it. It must have fallen into my clothing when I knocked things off the shelves on my way out of the hospital ward. A tiny pill sat inside, with a label reading: '**NIGHTLOCK-W****ARNING, KILLS WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF CONSUMING, ONLY USE IN CASES OF BEING CAPTURED BY ENEMY**'

A cruel smile played on my lips as I remembered that Nightlock was the name of the poisonous berries from the first time Katniss and I were in the arena. I thought of the moments just before we won...

_She had gone through her belt and was trying to get out a small, brown bag. I knew that inside were those deadly, dark berries. Grabbing her wrist, I'd said, "No, I won't let you." She couldn't. I wouldn't let her. If she was gone, I wouldn't be able to live without her._

_"Trust me," she had whispered. And I did. I looked into her beautiful, grey eyes for a while, seeing the intelligence and ferocity of the girl I was willing to trade my life for, if it saved hers. The girl who would pounce on dandelions and blow them when she saw them. The girl with an angel's voice when she sang. The exact same girl that I gave the bread to all those years ago. I could trust her. I slowly let go, as she reached in the bag and pulled out one handful of the Nightlock. She poured half into my hand and left the rest in hers. Understanding dawned upon me. "On the count of three?" she had asked._

_I nodded. "The count of three," I repeated. We leaned our backs against each other and I could feel her nervousness. "Hold them out," I told her, "I want everyone to see." It was wishful thinking, but I figured that if there was no victor, then the Hunger Games would be forced to be unable to continue for future generations. She held my hand tightly. Was it a signal? Was she scared? Maybe it was a goodbye. I silently said my farewells to her. With my last looks of the world, I started counting. "One." At least we're together. "Two." I love you. "Three!" See you on the other side._

Without thinking, I pulled the lid of the tube off, and placed the Nightlock pill in my hand, the same way I did with the berries. "The count of three," I laughed bitterly. "One." I will join you. "Two." We will finally be together and the pain will go away. "Three." I swallowed the pill as the tears raged on. I felt tortured and I was suffering. My body convulsed violently, as I thrashed about uncontrollably on the ground in spasms. My blurry eyes noticed the fuzzy outline of human shapes coming towards me. I heard a familiar voice calling my name, but I didn't want to see or hear any more. I detached myself from reality and imagined Katniss. She was in heaven now, with large wings flowing from her body. They were the same deep shade of grey as her eyes, and swung up and down gracefully, but strongly, like her personality. She was an angel. My angel. And she was smiling and waiting for me. The exact same last thought popped into my head as to what I thought would be my last moments with Katniss in the arena. I murmured the phrase out loud.

"_See you on the other side."_

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**-Burning Bunny Books**


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing! Please rate and comment.**

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><p><em>Katniss's POV<em>

It had been a week since I had been here. After the explosion in the games, one of the Capitol's hover crafts came and picked me up. Since then, I had been trapped, and they had kept me in a large room. I felt like I was in a dungeon, except everything was actually quite fancy. I had my own bathroom, but it was in the same room. I even had my own King sized bed. Not saying I enjoyed it...just that it was rather luxurious. The walls had mirrors covering every side and corner of the room.

They wouldn't break; they wouldn't smash. Trust me, I tried many times. I was convinced that everybody I loved were dead, but there was still the slightest chance that they were alive, and I held onto that hope with my life. If I got out of here, I had decided that I would do all I could to protect them. I didn't care about myself. Others were more important.

Bored, I drummed my fingers against the wall, my reflection gazing back at me. My face was clear and my body had no bruising or cuts. Not even a scratch. When I first woke up here, after the explosion I caused in the Quarter Quell, I was covered in them. Capitol technology really never fails to amaze me.

It must have been about a week since I'd been trapped. Well, I couldn't be sure, since there were no clocks or windows. However, I had been judging time by how often I got tired and slept, and by when my meals arrived. Speaking of which, I was getting a bit hungry. A few times a day, before I could get too starved, a girl about my age would come in quietly, with some food for me. Just as I was thinking of her, she came in, sliding the mirror wall aside. She had short brown hair that framed her face, and wore a simple white shirt with white trousers, attached tightly to her, giving off a skeleton look. Honestly, she appeared like a walking corpse. Everything seemed dead about her. Her young face dragged down and she moved slowly, like a crippled hag. However, her green eyes were alive, flitting around the room, full of emotions I would never know of, but never meeting mine. We both just ignored each other usually, but something was strange about her. She didn't seem like she was Capitol born, judging by her plain appearance. This time, I decided to try talking.

"Hello," I started. Flinching, she took a step back. She fidgeted for a while, pushing a trolley of food into the room. Finally composed, she gave an awkward nod in my general direction. Not really sure what else to say, I added, "My name is Katniss." There was a long pause. "...What's yours?" Coughing, she slowly looked up at me. It sounded more like a choke really. She tried to swallow, but I could tell she was having difficulty. And then realisation hit me. "Oh, you're an avox." It slipped out, without me realising how rude that might sound. Oh well. I was never one much known for having good manners, but I didn't really want to insult the only person who could probably help me escape. Nervously, I twisted the bronze mockingjay that was still pinned on me. I had been doing this a lot lately.

Her green eyes settled and finally met mine; they were not offended, but filled with sympathy instead. The same gut wrenching feeling I had when I first woke up here filled me. Yet again, I became desperate. "Please," I begged, "You have to help me. I have to get back to my family. I need to find Peeta. I promised myself that I would protect him. They're all waiting for me. I can't still be missing." Quivering, I whispered, "They might think I'm dead." Shaking her head, she took another look around the room. Oh. Of course. There must have been cameras or something watching us. Ever since I was 12 and I went to my first reaping, I have always felt like I was being watched. I could never be safe.

Whilst the avox girl removed my food from the trolley, I pretended to sulk and sauntered towards the other direction. Hopeful, I swiftly slid out of the door. I found myself in another room filled with mirrors identical to mine, but empty of furniture.

"Fuck," I muttered, searching for another door. Distracted, I didn't notice anybody come behind me. It was an instant before I felt the grim hand on my shoulder that I noticed something was wrong. Blood. Roses. I could smell the vile, pungent scent of blood and roses, and then the hand came upon me. Rigidly, I turned around to see the cruel, yet calm face of President Snow.

"Hello there, dear."

Taking a deep breath, I replied in the biggest voice I could get out, "Are you going to kill me?" It came out more normal than I expected, and I gave myself a mental tap on the back for my good work.

"Why in such a rush?" he chuckled. He was toying with me, and I had already started to lose my patience.

"Well if I'm going to die, I'd rather know about it."

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you Katniss," he sneered. "Not yet anyway."

"Then what do you want?" I snapped. Enjoying my impatience, he smiled.

"Just to talk." He gestured towards my old room, implying for me to go back inside. My mind was screaming at me to run. To not obey this man. Reluctantly, I dragged myself back into my prison, forcing my feet to go forwards. Snow led me to the far corner, where a small, round table was, with 2 stools beside it. He took a seat in one and nodded towards the other. Glaring at him, I sat on the opposite stool, and gave him my deadliest stare. The avox girl rushed over, setting some tea and snacks in front of us. Weary, I twisted my mockingjay pin between my fingers. It had become a nervous habit of mine lately.

"Help yourself," Snow said, pushing the tea towards me.

"No thanks," I muttered.

"I highly recommend you drink it, Miss. Everdeen." He paused, and then smirked to himself. "Or should I be calling you Mrs. Mellark now?" he chuckled. How could he do this? How could he be so cruel? Even after capturing me, he still taunted me. What was the point of it all? After all of the effort of marrying Peeta to try and satisfy this man, and convince everyone that I was in love, it still wasn't enough for him. Nothing would be enough to please him.

"And what if I refuse to drink?" I asked, daringly.

Displeased with me, he took a sip before answering. "Peeta is still alive, you know." My breath hitched, as I processed this. He was alive. _Alive!_ All I had to do was make it back, and then I could look after him. We would be safe, and- "For now," he added, interrupting my thoughts._ Great._ Peeta's life was being threatened over me drinking tea. This was ridiculous. Lifting up the cup, without hesitation, I downed it in a few seconds. I could feel the bitter liquid running down my throat.

I blinked a few times, as I got a bit light headed. My vision was blurring, and I started to see two of everything. Inside my pocket, my fingers wrapped tightly around the pearl Peeta had given me during the Quarter Quell. My other hand clutched desperately on my mockingjay pin. They comforted me, being the only supports I had.

"What a pretty pin," he observed, as I tried to hang onto reality. I didn't say anything. Those were the same words he had told me when I was crowned as Victor for the first time I went into the Hunger Games. "What type of bird is it?"

"A mockingjay..." I drawled. Forcing myself to look up, I saw two President Snows spinning around my head. Quickly, it blurred into nothing and I could only see blankness.

"How interesting," he stated. It echoed in my head over and over again, overlapping with everything he said. "Katniss?" I didn't say anything. "Katniss?" he repeated. I refused to just be a part of his games. Then I sensed doors opening and heard a few other confusing voices.

"President, has the venom taken full effect on her yet?" a gruff man questioned.

"I think so. She's not answering. Katniss?" Paranoia leaked it's way into me, but I refused to give in. I wouldn't answer. I wouldn't. I _couldn't._

"Subject ready for memory deletion," a middle aged woman's voice said. I forced myself to remain calm. It was pretty hard considering I couldn't see anything, and my hearing was very fuzzy.

"A lot of people say that you're very much like a mockingjay, Katniss," Snow murmured. He didn't think I could hear, and I knew I was about to black out. "I guess you are a mockingjay. Some people even call you _The _Mockingjay." I decided to give myself just one victory - no matter how minor it may seem. Squinting, I managed to get one last glance of the President's shocked face, and gave an innocent smile, as I said my last words, a moment before I went into a heavy sleep.

"What a lovely title for me... _The__ imprisoned mockingjay."_

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